Project links added

As I suggested in the previous entry, I have set up two project blogs which are now accessible from the Links section.

Recent work and ponderings

Sorry for no update last week, I was crook so nothing happened! I continued with the Scalescenes double tunnel mouth on Saturday night. All that is left are the wing walls, any last minute tweakings of the construction to fit the aperture in Kensington Hill that is waiting for the tunnel mouth, and the coat of clear varnish to protect it before installation. Once I am happy with the final product, a photo or three is probably worth putting up to show off my handy work!

On another note I have been pondering future projects. As a result of linking up with Eastmoor (see blog link) I have been doing further research into Pocklington. The track plan of the station and yards would I think be a great subject as a possible exhibition shunting yard plus a through main line either continuous loop or point to point fiddle yard. As for scale and period, it would depend on available rollingstock for the region, which was the pre-grouping NER, post-grouping LNER, or BR (NER) post nationalisation. I am open to either OO or British N scale. Further research is required and I might spawn another blog for the 'Pocklington Project'.

As for my NSWGR layout, I have been doing some research and I have three possible candidates for layouts based on prototype locations. Murwullimbah and Byron Bay on the North Coast line, and either Dubbo or Narromine. These two prototypes could be point to point HO scale, or specific to the location in question, depending on the room I have left in the shed. The other option are two 'mythical' locations based on their prototypes but which would give me modeller's licence to gin around with the locations. The first one is based on Byron Bay's earlier historical periods when it was a small port/terminal for dairy goods, timber and at one point whale products. I would call it Cavvanbah after the original name of the settlement. The second one might be based on Narromine which had wheat and livestock yard facilities. I would call this one Narrowmind. I am hoping to head down to Dubbo in May to see my sister, so I might take the opportunity to visit Narromine and get a feel for the place before I make a decision on the location to model.

My last musing for the week concerns an interesting rail vehicle, namely the CargoSprinter. This is a small container transporter currently used by CRT in Oz, which is based I think out of Albury in NSW. However the prototype is used in Europe and Britain for various things such as PER work, container transport, emergency vehicles, etc. Marklin used to produce a set but it can be quite expensive on the second hand market. I think the CargoSprinter would be easy to scratchbuild (famous last words) as it is basically five container wagons joined together. The end wagons have driving cabins which could hide a SPUD each. Each cabin is fairly angular so I reckon styrene would be the go. A bit more research on dimensions required and if anybody reading this can help out that would be great. I will spawn another blog called the 'CargoSprinter Project' to manage this from.

Well as you can see I have been busy doing more thinking than modelling this week, but this happens!

Why Eastmoor?

I stumbled on Eastmoor by accident as I was doing some family history research. My Dad's family on his father's line traces their origins to Market Weighton and Pocklington in Yorkshire. Mind you we are talking back in the 1800s. These two villages (?) were picked up in a Google search within the Eastmoor blog. As I have mentioned I am interested in UK models as well as Oz modelling, I was thinking that I small point to point layout featuring these two locales might be on the future planning schedule as a tribute to my forebears. So hopefully I might pick up some ideas from viewing this blog, as well as possibly some photos of these two stations and their surrounds. These will probably be mostly historical in nature as I believe these two stations have been closed down, if not demolished, as the line was decommissioned under Beeching.

Another two Oz blogs added

In reply to them being Followers of my blog, I have added 'Laker's Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Workshops' and 'Gundagai Model Rail Layout' to my list of blogs. Thanks guys for taking an interest in my musings. I will join your blogs as a Follower.

Two new links added

I came across two new sites that I have now included on my blogpage.

Eastmoor (an extensive UK blogsite) and a link to Wikipedia's UK Railways Portal.

Both worth a visit.

Kensington Hill tunnel mouth under construction

Saturday night was spent making a start on the tunnel mouth for Kensington Hill. This is a dual curving track as it enters the 'Hill' so I have to make sure the clearances are OK. I have decided to proceed with a modified Scalescenes plan. I will use a piece of 2mm balsa sheet for the tunnel front instead of 2mm cardboard just to give it a bit of strength. unsure whether this will work but I guess that is what this hobby is about - trying things new. An hour on Sunday afternoon was spent with Lachlan helping me with the tunnel lining. He was getting cabin fever with all the rain that we had so some quality time with Dad was in order (or by order from Mum!). I will hopefully finish the lining and front brickwork this week and start on the buttresses. If all goes to plan possibly placing it into position next weekend sometime. Time will tell if the plan comes off this week or next! Photos will follow once in position.

On a side note, I mentioned a few entries back that one of the club members had suggested using ant nest 'grit' (for want of an official term). Well last weekend and Saturday just gone, I collected a few bags from the back yard before the rain drenched everything. It is worth pointing out an observation that not all soils are the same from the one location! Soil from one part of the yard is darker than soil from another. The granularity is fortunately the same as the same species of ant seems to be doing the work in both locations. ONE THING THOUGH - some of the little fellas were caught in the big scoop up, so I have three mini ant farms in plastic sandwich bags! Lord knows how long it will take for them to die before I can use the soil! If someone has a humane way of killing them off I would like to hear it.

New Year's resolution finally underway

Sorry I haven't posted anything recently. I thought I might have some interesting musings about a planned visit to Mr Mackie's last Tuesday night but the plans fell through. The kiddlywinks were being feral throughout the day and both the missus and I were mentally exhausted by the time the kids were finally put down - I mean put to bed, not what I was thinking at various times during the day! So no observations first hand of the recent developments on the Cassino layout. I was able to get to the club Wednesday morning for a couple of hours and PK mentioned that I hadn't missed much as it was a gab fest rather than a running night! Now the truth is coming out ;-)

As per this posting's title, I was able to finally get around to starting my New Year's resolution, namely spending more time on my layout. Yesterday arvo I started with the tunnel mouth on Kensington Hill. I am thinking of using a combination of balsa sheet and Scalescenes' Tunnel Portal to provide a little more rigidity than card as the tunnel mouth is a tad large as it is two tracks curving within the 'hill' with a curved point just inside the tunnel mouth. I know it isn't probably prototypical but hey it is my layout! So hopefully this week I can spend some time getting the Scalescenes' design onto the balsa sheet and customising as required before siting it at the base of Kensington Hill prior to finalising the scenicking of the Hill. Next step after this is probably the station platform. My son Lachlan is eager to get some trees on the Hill as it is looking very barren, so possibly some quality time with him making trees! However it won't be anywhere near the 647 trees that Mr Mackie needs to make for just the Border Loop area of his layout!